Henhouse Cafe — Restaurant in Gilbert

My family has been to the Henhouse Cafe on multiple occasions. We’ve always been very satisfied with the food and service. But this last visit was not the best to say the least.

My daughter and I stopped by on 09/30 and was seated without too much of a wait. It was just after 10:30 when we placed our order since my daughter wanted something off the lunch menu. The server was quick and brought back our drinks promptly. This is where things went downhills.

We sat and chatted for a fair amount of time before we realized we’ve been sitting without any followup from our server. We noticed that another family of five that had been seated about 10 minutes after us had already been served their meal. At this point it’s been about 35 minutes. I flagged down our server and asked about the wait time. She said she had put in our ticket and she is waiting on it. Ok. No biggie. 10 more minutes. She never came back to followup. At this point I wanted to just pay for my one drink and leave. My daughter approached the hostess and asked if she could check on our food. She came back and said it was at the window. Ok. Cool. From my vantage point, I could clearly see the kitchen and our server. She never approached the window, went in and out of the kitchen and chatted with other patrons and servers. We had to flag her down again. (At this point it seemed she was clearly avoiding us). She said she would talk to the manager. About five minutes later we were finally served our food - by another server nonetheless. From the time we ordered, to the time we got our meal, it was 52 minutes.

Don’t get me wrong, it get it. Things can be busy and things take time. My daughter is also a server so we know how it is. I usually am very patient and will always tip generously because I know how it is to work with the public. What irritated me was how it was handled. If she would have just communicated with us and let us know the kitchen was backed up, that’s totally cool. If she could have offered a free refill of our one orange juice, that would have shown some kind of acknowledgment of the problem. She came by once after the other server dropped off our food and asked if we wanted anything else. Then the next time she dropped off our check. Never did she try and offer a simple apology nor did the manager follow up...

I’ve been a loyal customer at this location since it opened, so it’s disappointing to write this review. It used to be my go-to spot for family, friends, and visitors—better than Crackers—but recent management decisions have diminished the experience. These comments are for the owners/managers to consider.

When I first started coming here, the ambiance felt personal and charming, with fun decor reflecting Gilbert’s farm town roots and even older country music. Most importantly, the food was fresh, delicious, and clearly made to order as they had that fresh cooked shine. Proportions remain generous, but the quality seems to be slipping.

Now, the restaurant feels more like a boutique selling knick-knacks, losing the cozy farmhouse vibe. My biggest issue is the meat prep. As a protein lover, I’ve noticed the bacon and sausage have become inedible. Twice now, I’ve seen half pre-cooked meats sitting above the grill in large metal containers, not properly heated or refrigerated. When I asked for freshly cooked meats, the waitress explained it’s not possible because of time and griddle space constraints. The result? The meat tastes old and reheated, with a texture and flavor resembling microwaved leftovers. It seems the current preparation method involves microwaving, as the meat doesn’t hold up well throughout the meal. If not eaten immediately, it becomes tough and develops an unpleasant, stale taste, much like a day-old hamburger warmed in the microwave. This reheating process appears to be the cause of the tough texture and odd flavor. In the end, I had the waitress remove the meats from our ticket.

I understand the push for profitability with retail, but it’s come at the expense of what matters most: the food. Instead of retail distractions, you should’ve invested in kitchen improvements, like a dedicated griddle for fresh meat prep.

Please consider returning to the business principles that made you great. Until then, I’m unlikely to return and may give Crackers...

TL;DR: food was decent, but overpriced. Server was friendly. I had to argue with manager because they refused to comp a dish nobody could eat.

Went here with my family at the suggestion of a friend, but I'm never going back. My mother-in-law ordered a dish that was so spicy it gave her immediate acid reflux. She eats chorizo and green chilies no problem at home but this particular dish was way too spicy and she couldn't stomach more than the first bite. I tried it, too, and also couldn't handle a second bite. I don't remember the last time I ate something so acidic or chilies so strong. We asked the server if they could switch out the plate for something milder—she wouldn't have ordered it if it had said "spicy" on the menu—and the server, who was apologetic, said they'd check with the manager. Manager said we could order something else, but we'd still have to pay for the spicy dish we weren't going to eat. The manager and I went back-and-forth for about ten minutes before they finally agreed to take off the charge. Had the menu said "spicy," then my mother-in-law wouldn't have ordered the dish or it would have been our mistake and we'd pay for it, but there was no indication that this dish would be so spicy that neither of us could to eat it. The least the manager could do was comp the dish that had literally two bites from it. Manager said it was the owner's policy to never comp meals. I guess that's fine if you label your dishes and they're all impeccable quality, but I can't see that policy working well here. My eggs, bacon, and potatoes were fine, but way overpriced. The kitchen wouldn't make the famously large pancakes so we settled for the smaller ones, which were fine. My brothers-in-law thought their food was fine. My wife's dish was mediocre and expensive. Overall, I don't think any of us will...